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This dissertation, Methods over Madness: Investigating the Interaction between Designers, their Mindset, and Design Methods on a Cognitive Level, contributes to the understanding of how designers engage with design methods by exploring the cognitive dynamics of their interaction. As design methods are increasingly called upon to address abstract, systemic challenges, the need to comprehend how these tools function in practice becomes critical. This work situates this investigation within the growing body of design research that frames methods not merely as prescriptive guidelines but as adaptive mental tools both shaping method usage and the method users. The research addresses the overarching question: How does the interaction between method and method user influence the user and the usage of methods in design? It does so through two interconnected lines of inquiry: the role of the designer's mindset in method usage and the influence of cognitive load on design behaviours. These inquiries contribute to advancing the theoretical understanding of method usage while addressing gaps in existing research regarding how the interaction between methods and method users influences method usage. The first inquiry focuses on design mindset. Article I defines and operationalises the construct, resulting in the development of the Design Mindset Inventory (D-Mindset0.1), a psychometric instrument designed to measure it and four underlying constructs: Conversation with the Situation, Iteration, Co-Evolution of Problem–Solution, and Imagination. The inventory also establishes connections between these facets and relevant personality traits such as ambiguity tolerance, self-efficacy, and sensation-seeking, contributing to a nuanced understanding of the method user. Article II extends this investigation by examining how method teaching influences the development of design mindset. Using a quasi-experimental research design, it demonstrates that both individual traits and contextual factors significantly shape design mindset development, offering a framework for understanding how designers learn through method usage. The second inquiry investigates cognitive load in relation to design and method usage. Cognitive Load Theory provides a lens through which the mental effort associated with method use can be understood in relation to complex and iterative design processes. Article III develops a conceptual framework linking cognitive load to design activities, with a particular emphasis on framing and reframing practices. Article IV complements this by empirically exploring cognitive efficiency—how designers balance performance and mental effort—through a pilot study comparing heuristic and systematic design methods in an idea-generation task. Together, these articles highlight the cognitive constraints designers find themselves under when navigating a problem space and using design methods. The dissertation positions design methods as flexible, interpretive tools rather than rigid, procedural frameworks, foregrounding the critical role of the designer in contextualising and adapting methods to fit evolving challenges. By integrating perspectives on design mindset and cognitive load, the research contributes a theoretical foundation for understanding method usage and its implications for design practice and education. This work aligns with efforts in design research to formalise a theory of methods usage in design, validate methods effectiveness, and ultimately support the creation of methods that respond to both cognitive and practical needs. By addressing these dimensions, this dissertation aspires to inform ongoing debates within design research while offering actionable insights for educators, practitioners, and method developers. It emphasises the interplay between cognitive processes and the reflective practice of design, ultimately contributing to the broader goal of advancing design methods as tools for innovation in an increasingly complex world.

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Design methods, Method Usage, Design Mindset, Cognitive Load, Cognitive Efficiency, Design Practice